The other thread is talking about other shit, so I made this one.




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Heads:
People are talking shit about the Magic being a gadget team. I am thinking that Dwight Howard might dominate the inside in this series so thoroughly both offensively and defensively, that the Lakers might not have an answer.

Tails:
With that said: is there anybody on the Magic who can cover Kobe anywhere near what happened last year with Paul Pierce? If not: it could be a short series in favor of the Lakers.

Both teams have had great efforts from the bench from what I have seen. Do the Lakers have the perimeter defenders to shut down the 3-point assault the Magic will bring?

What other Bulls fans would laugh their asses off if Kobe loses again and Phil retires with his whole staff?

Lakers in 6.

If it were Cleveland V LA then we'd be talking about a Cavs win.

I just don't think Howard (my fave player in the whole league) will be able to dominate enough against Gasol/Bynum/Odom enough to get them over the line.

Magic will grab a couple of games, but I think Kobe will gear himself up for this so much that it's going to be a case of a 35-40 point series average and a runaway MVP.

Now... having said all that, the Lakers are my team, but I wouldn't begrudge the Magic the title. Gotta love the underdog status and the way the Magic play ball is very refreshing.

Bring it on!

Lakers in 4.


I just don't see this being close. The Lakers are a lot better with perimeter defense, which will not allow Orlando to be standing wide open with their 3's. This will cause an over-reliance on Howard, which will cause him to get in foul trouble. Plus, Howard will already be in trouble, because when the Lakers send guys like Bynum and Odom in the paint, he will get ticky-tack fouls.

For the Lakers, it's all about running the plan. Let Kobe get the double-teams, then let the role players get theirs. If they're going to 1-on-1 Kobe... then expect him to easily get 150 points in this series.

If the Magic play a perfect game, they could take one of these. I just don't see that happening.

Don't think any of these guys can handle Dwight.

I am taking the Magic in 7.

I see Howard dominating against what I see as a soft Laker interior that got man-handled last year by Garnett inside. Bynum has played a pretty weak game from what I have seen so far in these playoffs.

But, like I said above: I am not so sure the inside game is going to be the whole deal.

Who is going to handle Kobe? For me: if he runs free: I'll be way wrong in picking the Magic.

It'll go at least six. The Magic are really good. Look for Howard to eat up fouls and Bynum to foul out with no more than 6 minutes of playing time per game. And Pietrus will be able to keep up with and limit Kobe, as he did with LeBron. Not stop, but do about as admirably as possible. That being said, the Lakers are too deep. They have so many role players some of them are bound to hit their shots even if most of them suck. And Kobe and Gasol are pretty damn consistent. I think the Cavs would get swept. Magic exposed their lack of talent beyond LeBron. I'll say Lake Show in 7, but if the Magi pulled it off I wouldn't be that surprised. If Nelson can come back and play a substantial role, I'm taking the Magic in 6 or 7.

All three of the them working together will hamper him no end. It's what the Cavs couldn't do with Ilgauskas/Varejao/Wallace.

Lakers should go with a Bryant/Fisher/Gasol/Bynum/Odom starting five.

That would make one of Gasol or Bynum have to guard Hedo or Lewis, which would be a nightmare for LA.

I do not understand the fascination people have with this guy. Very average player.

The Magic did win both their regular season games vs. LA.

Disagree. He's very good when he's healthy/focused/in shape/whatever. At least in the regular season. I can't defend him in the playoffs, but he's still a youngin and shown some pure center skills that not many players have these days.

And I'll be a fag and say "his PER was through the roof when he was healthy!"

Anyone see this?

King James left the playoffs as a loser

"I’m a winner, King James proclaimed. So, there you go. That’s his reason for rushing out of the conference finals without so much as a nod to Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic. That’s his reason for marching to the bus and letting the Cleveland Cavaliers’ spare parts take care of his responsibilities in the interview room.

Funny, but James stayed on the court to make sure the Detroit Pistons and Atlanta Hawks paid respect to him. As it turns out, there’s one thing allowed to happen at the end of a playoff series: Everyone bows down and kisses the King’s ring. Only, LeBron doesn’t have a ring. He’s never won a game in the NBA Finals.

So, yes, maybe they just have to kiss his ass."

Interesting read. LeBron's star seems to be faded just that little bit.

People harp on about Kobe being rude, arrogant and all that, but he at least acknowledges those who beat him.

Maybe Fisher suddenly steps up and makes some big shots (the only thing he can do), but i'd put Brown. Of course that's not gonna happen.

Go Magic. Don't want to see Kobe getting anymore rings.

God, I second this BIG time. I fucking hate Kobe.

That said, I think it'll the Lakers in 7.

Fisher can also flop to draw offensive fouls with the best of them. And whine when the refs do not call the flops in his favor.

I hope this means the end of those stupid puppet commercials. I guess that worked out about as well as the Dan & Dave commercials from the 96 Olympics.

I think what this signaled more than anything else is that he'll be gone from Cleveland in two years. I think he'll go to Chicago. It looks like the best fit for him so far to me. But, a lot can change until then.

I am officially changing my pick to the Magic in 6.

I don't watch much NBA, but it seems to me that the Cavs lost more because they just didn't match up well with Orlando rather than aren't a great team. Orlando has won, what, something like 12 out of the last 16 times the two teams played, yet Cleveland won 65+ games this year? That's just a bad matchup, bad coaching, or a combination of both. If Boston had beaten Orlando, I think the Cavs would be in the finals. I think LeBron will stay unless the team takes a major step back next year.

Of course, what do I know, I only watch the NBA during the playoffs, in between commercials and late at night.

Bynum has a ton of talent and has some sick post moves, but at the moment he has no heart or will, and is a foul machine. If he can stay healthy he'll probably be one of the better centers in the league for years.

And at this point people should just respect and appreciate Kobe, even if you think he's a bastard. He's one of the greatest players of all time. The league's better with him than not, and he's almost 31. Isn't going to be great for that much longer.

Lebron would be a fool to stay in Cleveland. Reggie Miller the other day "he should stay in a small market, like I did for 18 years".

Yeah: how many titles did you win again Reggie?

If Howard averages 20-15 this will go to 7, and I think it will, but I like the Lakers.

Given that the Magic did well against the Lakers in the small regular season sample, have been improving with each round and are hot and motivated at exactly the right time while the Laker players not named Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant have been sucking dick, I like Orlando in 7. All they need to do is steal one game in LA, which they can do. The Lakers, on the other hand, can't go toe to toe with a good team on the road. Michael Pietrus can guard Kobe Bryant well enough. Dwight Howard can guard Pau Gasol.

My key questions are: a.) can Gortat play against Odom/Gasol when Howard is not on the court or in foul trouble? b.) what the hell is up with this Jameer Nelson shit? he could seriously go either way in helping/hurting the Magic. c.) will Bynum/Ariza/Fisher/Odom continue to suck? this is really the only question that matters. so they go, so goes the series.

I'm watching Carmelo Anthony on Ace of Cakes right now.

I just don't feel like wasting my time at what a ridiculous, retarded post this is. I'll come back when the Lakers sweep and tell you that you were right - and that's about a thousand to one.

Lakers in 4. Not a fucking chance. What a dumb post.


edit: I shouldn't have been such a dick in this post last night. Sorry Matt Drufke - I was in a foul mood.

Really offended that the Ace of Cakes crew only thought Melo was good for getting stuff off the highest shelves in the kitchen were they to offer him a job. Shit is hell of racist for Food Network.

a MattDrufke sports post

as a laker fan i want to say lakers in 6, but it would not surprise me if it went 7 and if it went 7 in favor of orlando

their perimeter game completely makes our interior defense futile

theres a reason we have so much trouble with quick point guards and i think orlandos shooting game will expose it.

though you live by the 3 you'll die by it so well see.

I'll stick my next out and say Lakers in 7, Gasol inspired.

EDIT!!!!!!!!!!!

Kobe looks like he's finally got his MJ impression down pat!

What a disappointing game 1.

Do I get half-credit?

no. retard

i agree with reggie. why in the world would lebron betray his hometown like that? it's not even like he'd be making a lot more money going to new york or something (in fact, he'd be taxed more while making less basketball income). and god knows he wouldn't be any more likely to win a title at this stage given the knick roster. besides, guy's not far enough along in his career to remotely justify the stench of piggybacking championships like malone and payton tried to do

Amazing speech by Joey Buss.

I'd give you half credit. That was a pretty good call.

Dwight Howard should have dominated and didn't. I blame his coach for that.
You live by the three, you die by the three.

Overall, after watching that, I think that the East looks weaker than ever without a full strength Boston.

And, I think Orlando could be great for many years if they get a new coach and a GM who knows how to build a team around a dominant inside presence.

Kudos to Gasol. The critics are silenced.

Everybody already knew Kobe was great. Now: it's in stone.

Stan just needs to get rid of the word frustration.

It seemed to me that Phil Jackson made short work of our boy Stanley.

i find it hilarious how quickly the coach of the year jinx is working its magic these days